C.O. summer heat prompts safety warnings
Summer is here, and as many Central Oregonians float on the water, Bend police and many companies want people to stay safe.
With temperatures hitting the 80s Saturday, many people took advantage of a nice dip in the Deschutes River — and with that, there are some precautions to take.
Bend police said that on average, one person drowns in the river every summer while floating. Many of the accidents have to do with alcohol-related incidents, but some are small children who don’t have the proper support.
Sun Country Tours is set up with all of their products in Riverbend Park, and they want to remind all parents that children 12 and under can rent life jackets for they day for free.
“The river is pretty calm, but there are places in there where it can get pretty dangerous,” Conner Bennet from Sun Country Tours. “It’s moving water, and any time there’s water moving naturally, it’s pretty dangerous. It can pull you downriver, away from your parents.”
A reminder for all the adult floaters: Alcohol is not allowed on the river. Bend police will be stepping up their patrols this summer, searching for people drinking. Offenders could get fined $500 for their first offense and $700 for the second.
